FS 5th Gen. Full Length Roof Racks by drabbits

[Snow-Jet-MK5]

Just read through all 58 pages of this over the past few hours. Reads like a great little novel. There's high points (when someone gets their rack), low points (the wait for rack), anticipation (reading posts about people waiting on their rack) and all sorts of other emotions. Bottom line... These racks are bad ass, hand crafted, high quality, tough, aesthetically the best I've seen IMO and I believe I'll be ordering one for my Inferno TRD Pro soon. I think I'll forego the powder coating and get it naked as I'll just have it coated with bedliner stuff, I think that is the best option for me as I'm in Michigan and they use a TON of salt on the roads and I plan on keeping my TRD Pro 4-EVER and I don't want to deal with rust. I'll do the Gobi ladder and cross my fingers I don't break it as I'm a pretty big fella pushing 270 lbs. and they are rated for 260 lbs. I also worry about my poor liftgate handling that load. Anyone have any opinions about that gobi ladder and liftgate holding up my big a$$ besides going on a diet?

The ladder can definitely support 270 lbs. I don't think the lift gate can support that weight especially since the mounting points of the ladder are pressure fitted.

 

[TRDZEB]

How much do you think the liftgate could handle? (Maybe I will have to on a diet lol)

 

[bpwwer]

Let me know how the 1/8" holds up. I was thinking I would need 1/4"

Also, what do you mean you attached a sharpie to a board to get the roof angle?

After ~300 miles of mostly freeway driving over the weekend, it's holding up fine. The aluminum is way less flexible. I was thinking of 1/4" originally but decided to go with the 1/8" because the cost was quite a bit less. I also looked at some 3/16" but decided to go with the least expensive material.

Well, maybe I spoke too soon. Now that I've driven it a bit more, I'm hearing some noise as it vibrates. It seems to be changing a bit the more I drive it. Right now I'm getting what sounds like a small rattle.

I think the aluminum may be starting to bend similar to how the ABS did but it's very subtle. I suspect that the ends are vibrating in the wind and this causes the snake-like wave in the fairing.

Since I have an extra piece, I'm going to experiment a bit to see if I can come up with something that vibrates less. Maybe bending the top outside corners back about 90 degrees would provide enough rigidity.

 

[Vermonster1]

The rack looks sick man!

 

[jwkilgore]

Be careful bending aluminum. It has horrible fatigue resistance.

One thought is to cut your second piece down so it's slightly smaller than your current fairing. Then thoroughly epoxy the two pieces together so you end up with a piece that's 1/4" thick in the center portion with 1/8" edges. If you do the epoxy right it'll be just as strong as a 1/4" thick piece. Surface prep will be critical.

 

[Neauxla]

Well, maybe I spoke too soon. Now that I've driven it a bit more, I'm hearing some noise as it vibrates. It seems to be changing a bit the more I drive it. Right now I'm getting what sounds like a small rattle.

I think the aluminum may be starting to bend similar to how the ABS did but it's very subtle. I suspect that the ends are vibrating in the wind and this causes the snake-like wave in the fairing.

Since I have an extra piece, I'm going to experiment a bit to see if I can come up with something that vibrates less. Maybe bending the top outside corners back about 90 degrees would provide enough rigidity.

That sucks! Can you take pics if it begins to warp? I think I may get some 1/4" aluminum eventually.

 

[bpwwer]

Be careful bending aluminum. It has horrible fatigue resistance.

Yeah, that and I don't have a good way to bend it. Sticking it in a vice and beating it with a hammer doesn't make for a pretty bend.

I'm actually a little concerned about the brackets that came with the original since they seem to be made of aluminum and I can see some stress cracks where they were bent. a heavier fairing won't help.

One thought is to cut your second piece down so it's slightly smaller than your current fairing. Then thoroughly epoxy the two pieces together so you end up with a piece that's 1/4" thick in the center portion with 1/8" edges. If you do the epoxy right it'll be just as strong as a 1/4" thick piece. Surface prep will be critical.

That's a great idea! Actually, I'd think that with the epoxy laminate that it would be a bit less flexible than a single 1/4" piece. Not sure there'd be any reason to make it slightly smaller, well, maybe less weight.

My other thought was to add some type of support along the horizontal, like a piece of aluminum angle (1x1x40ish, just to stiffen it up. But that would also require a bunch of holes and bolts since I don't have any way to weld aluminum. Hmm, could I just epoxy it? Could I tie something like this in with the mounting bracket?

Ok, off to google epoxying aluminum now....

 

[longeuayms]

Almost a year later....still great

Just wanted to say Thanks again Alex for the rack! Otherwise I would not be able to bring home 3 full sheets of 4x8 plywood!

 

[bpwwer]

Just wanted to say Thanks again Alex for the rack! Otherwise I would not be able to bring home 3 full sheets of 4x8 plywood!

Is that just 2 straps holding that down? One each direction? How did it feel driving with it up there?

I've used mine for a bunch too and it works great but I've been mostly hauling boards (2x, 1x; 8 - 10 ft.). I haven't tried any sheet goods yet. I did haul 4x8 sheets in the back of my 4th gen quite a bit. Lately I've been using a trailer for sheet goods, but then I've been getting more than a couple of sheets too.

 

[longeuayms]

Yes, just 2 straps. I wrapped one around the front and right side, and the other around the back and left side. It was ratcheted down and very secure. Didn't move an inch the whole drive home.

 

[bpwwer]

Yes, just 2 straps. I wrapped one around the front and right side, and the other around the back and left side. It was ratcheted down and very secure. Didn't move an inch the whole drive home.

Thanks! That's good info. I probably would have used 3 or 4 straps with most just side to side, maybe one front to back. But then I tend to overstrap things up there. I don't think I would have thought about strapping down the opposite corners.

 

[bpwwer]

Well, maybe I spoke too soon. Now that I've driven it a bit more, I'm hearing some noise as it vibrates. It seems to be changing a bit the more I drive it. Right now I'm getting what sounds like a small rattle.

I think the aluminum may be starting to bend similar to how the ABS did but it's very subtle. I suspect that the ends are vibrating in the wind and this causes the snake-like wave in the fairing.

Since I have an extra piece, I'm going to experiment a bit to see if I can come up with something that vibrates less. Maybe bending the top outside corners back about 90 degrees would provide enough rigidity.

Well, scratch that. It wasn't the aluminum fairing that was making the noise. It was the plastic edge material that put on the bottom edge. It had adhesive and when I moved it from the ABS to the aluminum, some of the adhesive stayed on the ABS fairing. One end of it had come loose and was flapping in the wind a bit. Amazing that a small bit of plastic flapping around up there can make that much noise in the cabin. Once I pushed that bit back on the edge, no more noise.

Looks like I really need to get some new edge material to finish things off properly.

 

[CharlestonFisher]

My rack finally arrived! I can't wait to open the box and check it out!

 

[Neauxla]

How's the aluminum holding up?

 

[Wandering1]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but are these still for sale?

 

[delloro]

My rack finally arrived! I can't wait to open the box and check it out!

when did you order?

 

[bpwwer]

How's the aluminum holding up?

So far so good. I think there may be a bit of wave in it, but I'm not sure if it's just the installation or if it's getting worse as it gets buffeted by the wind. Maybe I should try taking a picture a week and see if anything is changing week-to-week. I'll need a clamp on camera mount to collect controlled data.

It does have a bunch of bugs spattered on it right now

 

[King2768]

What is the quickest way to order from Alex? Is full payment needed first or partial deposit to start the order? Thanks in advance:thanks::thanks:

 

[Inferno1]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but are these still for sale?

Was wondering same thing before I submit my order to Gobi

 

[Snow-Jet-MK5]

What is the quickest way to order from Alex? Is full payment needed first or partial deposit to start the order? Thanks in advance:thanks::thanks:

They are. when I ordered there were 12 ahead of me and that was 2 months ago. Alex is giving a 3 month lead time which I'm not to worried about. I actually almost forgot that I ordered a rack.